It can be distressing to witness the pain of family, friends or even strangers going through a hard time. But what if, just like strengthening a muscle or learning a new hobby, we could train ourselves to be more compassionate and calm in the face of others’ suffering?

That is the question behind research from the University of Wisconsin–Madison, and a new study suggests that as little as two weeks of compassion meditation training – intentionally cultivating positive wishes to understand and relieve the suffering of others – may reduce the distress a person feels when witnessing another’s suffering. It may also improve their ability and likelihood to respond with compassion.

Some think childhood rivalries fade automatically over the years. This is far from the truth. Unresolved feelings can linger for the rest of your life if not properly addressed. In fact, according to Psychology Today, approximately one-third of them (adult siblings) describe their relationships as rivalrous or distant. They don't get along, have little in common, spend limited time together, and use words like ‘competitive,’ ‘humiliating,’ and ‘hurtful’ to depict their childhoods. These are heavy emotional loads to carry throughout life, especially during the holidays.

Millions of people fly during the holidays. Keep your family healthy during this busy travel season. Pack hand sanitizer and antibacterial wipes in your carry-on bag. ​

The website TravelMath recently tackled the issue of airport and airplane hygiene, sending a microbiologist to take bacterial samples from five airports and four flights. First the good news: All 26 samples were negative for E. coli. ​

But the swabs picked up enough other kinds of bacteria to convince you to wipe down these germy surfaces:

​​WHY IS GETTING THROUGH THE HOLIDAYS SO TOUGH WHEN GRIEVING THE LOSS OF A LOVED ONE?Throughout life, holidays are spent with relatives or people who you have close emotional connections. Holidays magnify the loss. So, it’s natural that the absence of a loved one can make holidays a very difficult time, especially since the death of a loved one interrupts this ritual in ways that will never be repeated. It’s only natural that the absence of a loved one can make holidays a very difficult time. Memories of a deceased loved one are not erased with their transition. Love is forever. The first year that my father passed was hard. But the love and support that my family gave each other are what got us through. His spirit was still there.

​1. Start spending time with the right people. People you enjoy, who love and appreciate you, and encourage you to improve in healthy and exciting ways. They embrace who you are now, but also embrace and embody who you want to be.

It’s that time again, time to gather with those we love and repeat the valued traditions that affirm who we are, who we belong to and what is genuinely important.

African Americans have always honored the traditions of family, food, song and spirituality. So Thanksgiving and Christmas are ripe with memories that bridge our past to the present. Traditions bind families and friends, creating a connectedness that transitions even life itself. Experts say that it is also during these activities that family beliefs and values are transferred as children witness the importance of friendship, unity and sharing.